The invasion of ground water into basements and other structures can cause numerous problems. Generally such water seeps into basements from the walls and perimeter of the floor at the floor-wall and wall-footing interfaces, and/or through floor cracks, due to external hydrostatic pressures of water in the ground.
Wall and sub-floor water-control systems (e.g., spacers) are known for receiving, channeling, collecting and expelling ground water from subterranean rooms having walls, wall-supporting footings, and a floor (e.g., basements), to beneath the floor and over the footing.
An example of a prior art spacer is illustrated in FIG. 1. Here, L-shaped spacer 10 includes a horizontal panel 15 and a vertical panel 20 connected at bend 35. Horizontal panel 15 includes hemispherical like dimples or depressions 25 that help support panel 15 above the top surface of footing 50. Similarly, vertical panel 20 includes hemispherical like dimples or depressions 30 that help support panel 20 apart from the surface of wall 60. Supporting panel 15 above footing 50 and panel 20 apart from wall 60 helps create spaces for water 80 to flow along water-flow path 85 and into a footing drain (not shown) and/or stone aggregate 70. Water 80 can enter the spaces between panel 15 and footing 50 and between panel 20 and wall 60 from places such as water-drain 75 and/or flowing down wall 60.
Panel 15 has horizontal panel lip 40 and panel 20 has vertical panel lip 45, both of which help prevent wet cement from flowing between panel 15 and footing 50 and between panel 20 and wall 60, respectively. Wet cement is poured to form floor 65.
Oftentimes, footings such as footing 50 are not flat, yet it is important for the bottom panel (i.e., panel 15) to conform to the irregularities in footing 50. A drawback of many spacers (e.g., spacer 10) is that if panel 15 flexes to conform to the irregularities in footing 50, such flexure tends to be transferred to and can cause vertical panel 20 to distort to an undue degree. Undue distortion in panel 20 can be aesthetically and/or functionally undesirable. For example, panel 20 can appear wavy and fail to properly seat against wall 60. This makes panel 20 unsightly and has been a significant barrier against commercial acceptance of this prior art device.
It is also important for panel 15 and/or 20 to have an appropriate balance between flexibility and rigidity. For instance, it may be important for panel 20 to be flexible enough that panel 20 can properly seat longitudinally against wall 60 along lip 45 yet be rigid enough to support panel 20 against floor 65 to create a fluid flow space between floor 65 and wall 60 and resist undue distortion if panel 15 flexes (flexure of panel 15 described above).
Creating spaces between a basement floor, wall, and footing is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,016 (Janesky), the entirety of which, is incorporated herein by reference.
There is a continuing need for new and improved devices that can create fluid flow space at a variety of structural interfaces in construction such as water-flow spaces at one or more of floor/wall interfaces and floor/footing interfaces.